Hat-protector.



Nu. 679,!ll. Patented July 23, mm.

H. c. DICK.

HAT PROTECTOR. (Application filed Apr. 8, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT Fries.

HARRY C. DICK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

HAT- PROTECTO R.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 679,111, dated July 23, 1901. Application filed April 3, 1901. Serial No.54,196. (No mo deL) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRY O. DICK, a citizen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Hat-Protectors, of which the following is a specification. Y

' The object of my invention is to provide a cheap and simple device for application to the sweat-band of a hat and which when in position will prevent the putting on of the hat, so that the latter is not likely to be mistakenly taken by some one other than the proper owner from a public hat-rack, such as those in hotels, restaurants, barber-shops, and like places of public resort.-

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view of the inside of a hat, showing my improved protecting device in use thereon. Fig.

2 is a sectional view. of the same on a larger scale. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the device out of use, and Fig. 4 is a perspective View of one of the attachments whereby the protector is connected to the sweat-band of the hat.

In places of public resort, where hats are placed in a public hat-rack, unintentional interchanges are quite common because of the external similarity in appearance of numbers of hats, and it is with the object of preventing such unintentional interchange that my invention has been devised.

My invention consists simply of a strip or band 1, preferably an endless rubber band, connected to the sweat-band 2 of the hat at one side by a clip 3 and adapted to engage with a hook 4:, secured to the other side of the sweat-band,'the length of the band when not under tension being so much less than the width of the hat that when thus applied to the sweat-band it will draw the same inward on opposite sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and will thus prevent the application of the hat to the head until the band has first been released from the hook 4.

It will be observed that as one end of the flexible band or strip is adapted to be detachably connected to one side of the sweat-band the said flexible strip or band may when detached be tucked behind the sweat-band at the opposite side of the hat.

Any desired form of identifying-tag 5 may be secured to the band 1, that shown in the drawings being a plate bearing initials and having a projecting wing 6 bent over and clamped upon the central portion of the band 1, this band when the protecting device is not-in use lying snugly against the side of the hat and between the same and the sweatband, as shown in Fig. 3, so as not to interfere in any way with the fitting of the hat to the head.

The clip 3 and hook 4 may be conveniently applied to the sweat-band by being formed in one piece with a stud 7, provided with projecting pointed spurs or barbs 9, which after being passed through the sweat-band are bent down on the inside of the band, so as to firmly secure the stud 7 and its projecting hook or clip thereto, the device being very cheaply made of sheet metal. I

Instead of employing an ordinary rubber band I may use a tape, preferably an elastic tape, secured at one end to the sweat-band in any available way and having at the other end an eye for engagement with the hook 4; but the use of the ordinary rubber band is preferred as the cheapest, simplest, and most readily renewable form of device for the purpose.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A hat-protecting device comprising a strip or band connected to the sweat-band of the hat at one side of the'same and having a detachable connection with the sweat-band at the opposite side of the hat, said band being less in length than the width of the hat, whereby when it is attached to the opposite sides of the sweat-band, it will draw the same toward each other, substantially as specified.

2. A hat-protecting device comprising an elastic band connected to the sweat-band of the hat at one side of the same and having a detachable connection with the sweat-band at the opposite side of the hat, said band being less in length than the width of the hat, whereby when it is attached to the opposite sides of the sweat-band, it will draw the same toward each other, substantially as specified.

3. A hat-protector consisting of a. flexible In testimony whereof I have signed my strip or band connected to the sweat-band of name to this specification in the presence of 10 she hat at one side of the same and having a, two subscribing witnesses.

etachable connection with said sweat-band 5 at the opposite side of the hat, said band HARRY DICK when detached at one end, being capable of v Witnesses: being tucked behind the sweat-band at the F. E. BECHTOLD, opposite side of the hat. J 0s. I-I. KLEIN. 

